


if these sheets were the states

by cathect



Series: silk sheets and diamonds [2]
Category: IT (2017)
Genre: Beverly Marsh/Richie Tozier (background), Daddy Kink, M/M, Sugar Daddy AU, hair washing and bathing together, just some fluffy bullshit to feed my spoiled eddie fans, more about bev and richie's relationship ooooooh, read the notes! (i know there are a billion but do it anyway)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-02
Updated: 2018-05-02
Packaged: 2019-04-29 08:29:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14468820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cathect/pseuds/cathect
Summary: -Six days after Ben leaves on a business trip, Eddie googles just how big a California king bed is.-or, the one where ben goes on a business trip and eddie misses him a lot.





	if these sheets were the states

**Author's Note:**

  * For [radonna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/radonna/gifts).



> hey friends! alright, so. the second installment of the spoiled eddie universe is here. please read the notes in order to not be confused by the timeline, lmao.
> 
> a "few" notes about this fic:  
> \- this is definitely set before the first part of the series. this is about eight or nine months into their relationship.  
> \- in the previous part, i said that beverly and richie were still friends with benefits at that point, but i went back and changed it so that they're just of and on in terms of an actual relationship. so they're fwb's at this point, but they'll get together eventually (i know, confusing, but hindsight is 20/20).  
> \- just like before, there's a bit of an age difference. eddie is probably 19/20 in this installment whereas ben is about 24/25.  
> \- beverly and eddie have known each other since high school, but the rest of the losers only met when ben recruited them all.  
> \- YES! i am planning to write more about ben's job and how everyone else is involved, but all you need to know for this part is that ben owns a casino, but he's basically laundering money through it, lmao.  
> \- this is really just some fluffy bullshit because all of the drama from tumblr the last few days really put me in a bad mood, and i wanted to write something i enjoy!  
> \- this work is a gift for natalie, for helping me catch up on nearly 15 assignments for a class i am severely behind in. i would die without you.  
> \- click the word "lingerie" for the link to the actual piece of lingerie i was describing!!
> 
> a special thanks to erin for her editing, as per usual. she provided the beautiful description of the lingerie that ben gives to eddie (as my ability to describe things is severely lacking lmao).

Six days after Ben leaves on a business trip, Eddie googles just how big a California king bed is.

With Ben beside him, it never really felt as big as people always make it out to be. But now… Now it feels like a fucking island that Eddie is stranded on.  
  
It’s been nearly seven months since Eddie moved in, and this is the first time that Ben’s been gone longer than an overnight trip. Eddie likes to think that he’s independent, that moving in with Ben hasn’t changed that. He still does his own laundry, still puts it away himself; he still cooks his own meals (and Ben’s when he gets the chance), and cleans his own dishes afterwards.

But he’s usually doing all of that with Ben in the house. Without him here, the last six days have felt like six years. There’s a voice in the back of his head— his mother’s probably— that constantly berates him for how pathetic that is. The voice echoes around the empty halls of his and Ben’s home, mocking him, taunting him. It’s enough to drive him crazy.

When he answers Ben’s call on the first ring, he tells himself it’s just because it might be important and not because he’s dying to hear his boyfriend’s voice.  
  
“Ben?” He answers as casually as he possibly can, but he knows there’s a waver in his words.  
  
“ _Hey, baby,_ ” Ben says. Eddie feels his chest tighten. “ _You holding down the fort okay?”_

Eddie kicks his feet up onto Ben’s desk, twirling one of the cigars from Ben’s stash between his fingers. “Of course.”

He imagines, for a moment, Richie and Bill seated across from him, ready to take orders like they do from Ben. An amused smile spreads across his face at the thought, but it does nothing to qualm the aching in his heart.

“I was born to do this,” he says as he returns the cigar to its box.

They’re quiet for a moment, and Eddie strokes his fingers over the soft leather arm of Ben’s chair as he listens to him breathe on the other end. Vaguely, he can hear the sounds of Bill and Richie talking in the background, laughing and bickering like they always do.

“ _I miss you,_ ” Ben mutters suddenly, quietly. His volume isn’t due to embarrassment, Eddie knows that. It’s just that the words are only meant for Eddie’s ears. “ _I miss you so much, baby._ ”

Eddie’s cheeks go warm. “I miss you too,” he says with a small frown on his face. “Are you sure there’s no way you can come back before Sunday?”

Ben chuckles. The sound makes Eddie’s heart pound against his ribs. “ _You know I wish I could._ ” Ben sounds as disappointed as Eddie feels. “ _But I still have a few things to take care of here._ ”

“The bed is so big without you,” Eddie mumbles. “The _house_ is so big without you.”

“ _Two more days, baby,_ ” Ben reminds him gently. Eddie makes a small, disappointed noise. “ _You still going to meet me at the airport?_ ”

“Of course.” Eddie pulls his feet down so he can tuck his legs under himself. “I’ll be the first thing you see.”

“ _Good._ ” There’s a smile in Ben’s voice.

Eddie hears a big crash, followed by Bill’s voice yelling, “ _Nice j-job, Trashmouth_.”

Ben groans and then sighs. “ _I have to—"_

“Go.” Eddie drops the tone of his voice so Ben knows he’s serious. Duty calls, and Eddie knows that and doesn’t begrudge Ben for it. Then, clearing his throat, “I love you.”

“ _Love you too, Princess,_ ” Ben responds easily. Eddie’s stomach does a flip at the nickname. “ _I’ll be home so soon, okay?”_

Eddie chews on his lip instead of answering.

“ _Baby?"_

“Yeah.” Eddie gives a little nod, even though Ben can’t see him. “Yeah, okay, Daddy.” He grins at the way Ben sucks in a breath on the other end.

“ _I’ll call you tomorrow_ ,” Ben says, clearly trying to keep his voice level. He pauses and, for a moment, Eddie thinks he just forgot to hang up. “ _I love you_.”

Eddie giggles. “Love you.”

The call disconnects with a click and Eddie sets his phone down on the desk with a sigh. He wishes, more than anything, that he’d gone on that trip to Chicago with Ben. Or better yet, that Ben hadn’t left at all. If he hadn’t, Eddie would probably be curled up in his lap right now. Or pinned underneath him. Eddie can’t decide which option sounds better.

He stands from Ben’s chair and stretches his arms over his head with a yawn. It’s nearly one in the morning, but he’d refused to go to bed before Ben called him. Now the exhaustion is hitting him all at once, and he yawns again as he leaves Ben’s office.

By the time he gets to their bedroom, his eyes are getting a little droopy. He can’t believe he didn’t notice how tired he was before, but he supposes it was the anticipation of hearing Ben’s voice that kept him awake. He lands face-first in the bed and sighs as it gives under him and he melts into the mattress.

He considers doing his whole nightly routine— a bath, his skincare regimen, maybe some meditation— but instead he reaches over and grabs Ben’s pillow. It smells like Ben: cigar smoke and mint and coffee, and Eddie holds it close to his chest.

 _Two days_ , he thinks, and the barest hint of a smile tugs at his lips as he drifts off to sleep.

-

Eddie spends most of the next day down at the bar. Beverly is working her normal shift, serving regular gamblers their regular drinks, and she and Eddie could both use the company.

She rambles about Kyle, the guy who always tries to get her number and always has to be reminded by security to settle his tab. Eddie listens with enthusiasm, happy to have anything to occupy his thoughts that isn’t Ben-related.

“And don’t even get me started on Richie,” Bev says as she wipes down the bar near Eddie’s arm. “Fucking moron.”

Eddie raises his eyebrows. Last he’d heard, Bev and Richie were doing fine. “What happened?”

“He’s just being himself.” Bev rolls her eyes and swings the towel over her shoulder. “Never texting me back unless he wants to fuck, always sneaking out in the middle of the night.”

“I mean, you guys _are_ just hooking up, right?” Eddie asks, even though he knows her better than that. “Shouldn’t he only text you when he wants to fuck?”

The tips of Bev’s ears go pink and she glances away. “I mean.” She swallows and clears her throat. “Yeah. No. I don’t know.”

“You’re so transparent, Marsh,” Eddie says with a smirk.

“Shut up.” Bev throws her towel at his face and Eddie narrowly misses getting hit in the eye. “Sorry, I just—” She shakes her head. “You’re right. We’re just hooking up. I shouldn’t care.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night.” Eddie gets another towel to the face, and he throws this one back at her with a laugh. “Hey, I’m not here to judge.” He holds up his hands in surrender and Beverly sighs.

“Yeah, I know,” she says.

They fall silent after that, save for Bev interacting with a couple of customers down at the end of the bar. Eddie watches her lean on the polished wood, flirting just enough to keep up her streak of more-than-generous tips. She’s clearly perfected the art by the way the patrons hang on her every word, and slip her the bigger bills from their wallets before they leave.

“You’re incredible,” Eddie marvels when she comes back over to refill his water. “It’s like watching a fucking nature documentary.”

Beverly flips her hair over her shoulder with a wink. “Thanks, babe,” she says. “Years of practice.”

 

When her shift ends, they head over to the restaurant on the other side of the casino. It’s fairly new, and it was Eddie’s idea to put in, so he grins when he looks around at the finished product. He still feels a swell of pride every time he goes in.

The waiter that greets them recognizes Eddie immediately, and takes them back to the reserved booth Ben had insisted on. Beverly throws Eddie a smile and he blushes. Of course, all of Ben’s friends and colleagues know how spoiled Eddie is, but it doesn’t make it any less nerve-wracking to spoiled in _front_ of them. Especially when Ben’s not there beside him.

It takes all of ten minutes and the arrival of their appetizers for Beverly to start up about Richie again. “I just.” She sighs and runs a hand through her hair. “I don’t get it.”

“Don’t get what, babe?” Eddie asks, forkful of salad halfway to his mouth.

“What is it about him?” Bev asks, though it doesn’t sound like a positive question. “What is it about that _idiot_ that I just can’t let go of?”

“I mean.” Eddie takes his bite and chews it thoughtfully. “You do have pretty shit taste in guys.”

“I’m _serious_ , Eddie,” Beverly says, but she’s laughing.

Eddie shrugs nonchalantly, but his words are broken up by stray giggles. “So am I!” Bev opens her mouth to say something, but Eddie points a finger at her. “Don’t even try to deny it, Marsh. My Facebook album labeled ‘Bev’s Awful Exes’ doesn’t lie.” He really does have an album labeled that; he keeps it around to periodically remind Bev of her past mistakes, especially the hilarious ones.

“Alright, alright,” Beverly says, raising her hands in surrender. “You win.”

Eddie smiles triumphantly, and takes another bite. Once he’s swallowed, he reaches out his free hand to grab hers across the table.

“Listen,” he says. “Whatever you and Richie have seems… complicated.”

Beverly snorts. “That’s an understatement.”

“But,” Eddie continues over her interruption. “Neither of you have given up yet, at least not completely. Which means it must matter. To _both_ of you.”

She’s quiet for a moment, absorbing his words. Then, her shoulders a little less tense, she meets his eyes. “Yeah,” Bev says with a small smile. “Thanks, Eddie. I’m just going a little crazy over it, I guess.”

“I can tell.” Eddie laughs and then gives an over-exaggerated yelp when Bev slaps his hand. “Kidding, kidding. Jeez.”

They’re still in a fit of giggles when the waiter comes back around.

 

Eddie’s phone goes off halfway through lunch, and his eyes light up at the ringtone. He gives Beverly an apologetic look, but she waves her fork at him. Judging by the grin  on her lips, she knows he’s not _really_ apologetic.

“Go,” she says with a wink.

“I’ll be right back.” Eddie stands up and answers the phone as he tries to quickly find an area of the restaurant without any customers. He finally settles for a hallway by the kitchens, and answers the call before it can go to voicemail. “Hello?”

“ _Hey Princess,_ "Ben says. Eddie’s heart flips in his chest. “ _I have good news._ ”

“The job went okay?” Eddie guesses, toying with the leaves on a nearby fake plant just to give his hands something to do.

“ _Better_.” Ben waits, and Eddie knows he’s trying to build the anticipation in Eddie’s gut. “ _The job went_ amazing _, and I booked a flight home tonight_.”

“Really?” Eddie asks,. His voice wobbles and he blinks back sudden, elated tears. “Tonight?”

“ _Yep._ ” Ben is  smiling on the other end, Eddie can hear it in his voice. “ _I should be getting in around midnight or so. Think you can wait up for me, Princess_?”

“Of course I can, Daddy.” Eddie swallows around the excited catch in his voice. “I’ll see you tonight, then?”

“ _Tonight_ ,” Ben confirms.

They wrap up the phone call, only hanging up after Richie’s loud groan in the background following Ben’s fourth “I love you.” Eddie clutches his phone to his chest with a ridiculous grin before he rushes back to the table to fill Bev in.

-

Ben’s flight is supposed to land around midnight, which is _far_ later than Eddie usually stays up— but he’s has never felt more awake.

His fingers fidget on his knee, tapping out some unknown rhythm that doesn’t quite line up with the way his leg is bouncing. He’s sitting on one of the benches near the baggage claim. He’s jittery and antsy and so fucking ready for Ben to be home.

Eddie almost jumps ten feet in the air when his phone dings. His face lights up; the notification that Ben’s plane has landed flashes on the screen. Ben is _here_ , he’s home, and Eddie watches the escalators with anticipation.

By the time people start spilling through into the area, Eddie feels like he’s going to burst. Ben is in first class, as always, so he should have been one of the first to get off, but it still feels like it’s taking way too long. Eddie stands up and shares a polite smile with a woman and her son as they walk by, but his fingers twitch at his sides.

He doesn’t see Ben until he’s already halfway down the escalator but, the moment he sees him, he starts moving. He weaves through the small group of people, sort of like swimming upstream, until he can throw his arms around his boyfriend. He catches Ben right at the bottom of the escalator, and the force of his hold causes them to stumble off to the side.

“Ben!” He says it like the wind has been knocked out of him, and he wraps his legs around Ben’s waist.

Ben laughs and curls his hands under Eddie’s thighs and ass to hold him up. “Hey, baby,” he says, moving them further away from the escalator and out of the way of the steadily moving crowd of people. “Miss me?”

“Mmhmm.” Eddie nods as best he can with his face buried in Ben’s neck. He doesn’t even care about the teasing tone in his boyfriend’s voice. “So much.”

Ben lowers Eddie back down to the floor and kisses him hard. Eddie practically whines with excitement, pressing into Ben’s body and shivering when one of Ben’s hands finds its way into his hair.

“Get a fucking room.” Richie claps a hand down on Ben’s shoulder as he passes by. He gives a wink in response to the glare Eddie shoots him when Ben pulls away. “You two are sickening.”

“Ignore h-h-him,” Bill says gently as he joins them as well. “He’s just b-bitter because they c-cut him off at eight bags of pretzels.”

“Hey!” Richie snaps, calling everyone’s attention to him, including a few nearby strangers. “Those things are fucking delicious, and we were in first class.”

“Eight fucking bags, Rich.” Bill laughs as he follows Richie towards the conveyor belt of suitcases, and the sound of their argument fades with them.

“God I missed you,” Ben says as he wraps his arms around Eddie from behind. Eddie giggles as Ben presses his lips noisily to his cheek, and turns his head to get a real kiss. “It was hell without you.”

“You have no idea,” Eddie murmurs into Ben’s mouth. He turns around in Ben’s arms and grins up at him. “I’m so happy you’re home.”

“Me too.” Ben ducks his head to kiss Eddie one last time before he breaks away and takes him by the hand. “Now, let's go get my bags so we can go the hell home.”

 

The night is strangely quiet when they get back to the house. Eddie knows that it’s just because of the time, but it almost feels like the world is at peace now that Ben is back where he should be. Like everything is back into place around him.

“I have to go put some things away,” Ben says as they come through the front door. “But why don’t you run us a bath and I’ll be there in a little bit, okay?”

Despite the small pout on his face, Eddie nods. “Okay.” Ben shakes his head and kisses Eddie’s face a few times before Eddie laughs and shoves at his chest. “Okay, okay! I’m going.”

“Good boy,” Ben says, sending Eddie’s heart reeling. “I’ll be quick.”

Eddie bites his lip on a grin. “You better be.”

He practically sprints down the maze-like path to their bathroom and hums to himself as he fills up the tub. Knowing Ben won’t mind, he doctors the water up the way he likes with bubbles and essential oils. The scents of rose and mint fill the air and Eddie sighs as the aroma envelops him.

When Ben takes just a little too long to show up, Eddie strips down and gets in the bath while it’s still hot. Ben prefers it “a bit less hellfire” than Eddie does anyway, so he might as well enjoy it while he can. He lays back against the side of the huge tub and closes his eyes.

“Falling asleep on me, baby?”

Eddie isn’t sure how much time has passed when Ben finally comes in, but the bath is still pretty warm so it can’t have been long. He looks over just in time to see Ben taking off his shirt and laying it over the back of Eddie’s vanity chair.

“Nope,” Eddie lies as he crosses his arms and rests them on the side of the tub to watch Ben undress. “I’m wide awake.”

When Ben turns around, Eddie gives him a mischievous smile and Ben just shakes his head fondly. “Just couldn’t wait for me, huh?”

Eddie pouts. “The water was getting cold.” Ben raises his eyebrows and comes over to the water to dip his fingers in. He gives Eddie a knowing look and Eddie frowns. “Okay. It was getting… less hot.”

“You’re adorable,” Ben says, leaning over and kissing Eddie’s forehead. Eddie preens under the compliment and Ben chuckles. “Adorable,” he says again.

He steps back from the tub to finish taking off his clothes, and Eddie watches with his chin on his arms. When he’s done, Eddie scoots forward in the tub and Ben slips in behind him, leaning back with Eddie against his chest.

They relax and enjoy the warmth of each other and the water in silence for a bit. Ben’s fingers run soothing paths up and down Eddie’s arms and Eddie loses track of how many shivers go down his spine. After a while, Eddie feels Ben moving behind him and hears the click of a shampoo bottle being opened.

“Can I?” Ben asks with a soft press of his lips to Eddie’s shoulder. Eddie nods and he hears Ben pour some shampoo into his palm.

Eddie moans quietly as Ben’s fingers work in his hair, scrubbing at his scalp and washing the remnants of his hair gel out. He tilts his head at odd angles, silent instructions of where Ben should go next. Ben huffs out a laugh and does his best to follow, pressing his thumbs lightly into the back of Eddie’s neck and releasing some of the tension there.

He runs the faucet again and guides Eddie’s head under it, covering his eyes while he rinses out his hair just as thoroughly as he washed it. He repeats all the motions with Eddie’s seventy-dollar conditioner, and rinses it out just the same.

“All done, baby,” Ben says softly, tilting Eddie’s chin to the side so he can kiss him.

Eddie hums and turns around in Ben’s lap to straddle his thighs. “Thank you, Daddy,” he says sweetly, kissing the surprised smile from Ben’s face— he will never, as it would seem, get used to Eddie calling him that. “Now it’s your turn.”

He kisses Ben again as he reaches for the shampoo. He lathers some up in his hands and washes Ben’s hair. He’s not afraid to admit he’s not as thorough, but that’s mostly because he can’t really see the back of Ben’s head all that well. And Ben doesn’t seem to particularly mind, perfectly content to just enjoy the feeling of Eddie’s nails against his scalp.

When Eddie is done with his hair, he pours a little more shampoo into his hand and diligently washes Ben’s beard as well. Ben chuckles, but watches on with adoring eyes as Eddie’s face scrunches up in concentration. When he’s done, Eddie pulls back with a nod, and gives Ben enough room to rinse all the shampoo away.

They soak for a while longer, until the water turns lukewarm and they both go pruney. Ben gets out first and dries off before searching through the cabinet under the sink for one of Eddie’s “extra fluffy” towels. He unfolds it and holds it out to Eddie, who climbs out of the tub and giggles as Ben wraps him up in both the towel and his arms.

Eddie goes to his vanity when Ben releases him, and starts rifling through his drawers for all of his skincare stuff. “Can you—?” He stops when he looks in the mirror and sees Ben coming towards him with Eddie’s robe in his hands. Eddie turns and smiles. “Thank you,” he says.

“‘Course, baby.” Ben trades Eddie the robe for the towel and hangs the latter on a hook on the wall. “I’m going to go get in bed, okay?”

“Mmhmm,” Eddie confirms with a smile, leaning up for a kiss. “I’ll be in soon.”

“Take as long as you need to, Princess.” Ben chuckles. “You know I’ll wait up for you.”

Eddie’s heart swells with love, so big that it feels like it may burst, and he bites his lip as Ben leaves the room.

 

Despite Ben’s assurance that he can take his time, Eddie hurries through his skincare routine. He would have skipped it altogether, if he hadn’t already done that last night. He exfoliates and moisturizes and tones. And, just for good measure (and Ben’s benefit), dabs some of his favorite perfume behind his ears.

By the time he’s done, he’s only taken about half the time he normally would, and he silently praises himself for it as he slips on a pair of silk shorts. For a split second, he debates cleaning everything up, but he decides to leave it for tomorrow.

“Ben?”

Eddie speaks quietly when he comes into the bedroom, just in case Ben ended up falling asleep. The only light comes from the lamp on Ben’s nightstand, and the room is silent save for the soft click of the ceiling fan.

There’s a rustling sound and Ben props his chin up on his hand and smiles. “Hey, baby,” he says. “You look pretty.”

Eddie blushes and opens his mouth to retort with something sassy, but closes it when his eyes are drawn to a black bag sitting on the bed. “What’s that?”

Ben shrugs. “Something I picked up in Chicago.” Eddie moves forward slowly, drawn in by the pink tissue paper peeking out of the bag and the word _temptations_ written in cursive on the side. “Come on, baby,” Ben says. “It’s not going to bite.”

Eddie throws him a playful glare, but climbs up onto the bed and tugs the bag closer. Ben scoots closer, sitting up and tucking his chin into Eddie’s shoulder from behind to watch. When Eddie tears into the paper, he gasps.

“Is it okay?” Ben asks as Eddie strokes a thumb over the deep purple piece of [ lingerie](http://cdn1.bigcommerce.com/n-ww20x/iozryh/products/674/images/1658/Temptation__83718.1508766158.1000.1200.JPG?c=2). He pulls it out of the bag to look at it fully: it’s one piece, sort of like a sexy, lacy romper.

The top is a pale lavender hue with a deep v down the center; two ribbons sit at the top so it can fasten like a halter top. Eddie absently runs a hand over his collarbones, wondering how the lace will sit on his skin. The shorts are a deeper shade of purple, more royal and striking compared to the delicate top; they’re tiny, and Eddie doubts they’ll color more than the curve of his ass. The whole thing cinches at the waist with another ribbon, and Eddie runs it through his fingers, the material soft and silky under his touch.

Ben continues when Eddie doesn’t speak. “I saw you looking at one like it online before I left, and when I found this, I just—”

“It’s perfect,” Eddie says. “It’s amazing, Ben.” He tucks the lingerie back into the bag and drops it over the edge and to the floor.

“You don’t want to try it on tonight?” Ben asks, not a hint of disappointment or judgment, just pure curiosity. Eddie loves him for it.

“Missed you too much,” he says with a small frown, one that’s mostly just for show. “I just want to cuddle tonight.”

Ben grins. “Of course, baby.” He lays down against his pillow and opens his arms. “Come to Daddy.”

“Shut up,” Eddie says, even as he burrows into Ben’s chest.

Ben chuckles as he reaches his arm back to fumble with the lamp until he can switch it off. The room goes dark as he pulls the sheets up and around them, tucking them under Eddie’s back and caging him in just the way he likes.

“I love you so much,” Ben whispers against Eddie’s forehead, pressing the words into his skin like he could brand them there if he tried hard enough. “So fucking much.”

“I love you,” Eddie says, the word _too_ just feeling cheap in that moment. Ben doesn’t answer, choosing to kiss the side of Eddie’s head instead.

Eddie sighs and the thud of Ben’s heart under his cheek eases him into the best sleep he’s had in a long time.

**Author's Note:**

> come visit me on tumblr @devilstrip!
> 
> as always, it would be amazing if you dropped me a comment letting me know what you think! i thrive on validation, lmao.


End file.
